Archive for February, 2012

Current Hitters Baseball Collectors Should Pay Attention To

Posted on February 23rd, 2012 by admin | Posted in Baseball Cards, Misc Vintage Baseball

Current Hitters Baseball Collectors Should Pay Attention To

What is great about collecting baseball memorabilia is that one can either go back centuries to find what they are interested in up until the present day.  While it may seem difficult trying to pick and choose which current baseball player will blossom, there are a select few that baseball collectors should pay attention to now and in the near future, as their values may rise dramatically.  Here are five current hitters that should be on your radar if they are not already.

Adrian Gonzalez

At 29 years of age, Gonzalez has been one of the best hitters in the Major Leagues for some time now, but has been overshadowed by others such as Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder.  Ever since his first full season in 2006, Gonzalez has amassed at least a .275 average, 25 home runs, 80 RBI’s, and 160 hits.  In 2011 he moved over from the San Diego Padres to the Boston Red Sox, and performed ever better on the bigger stage.  In 2011 Adrian had a .338 average, 213 hits, 27 home runs, and 117 RBI’s.  He is one of those players that is quickly budding into a superstar and should be paid attention to very closely.

Joe Mauer

One of the elite catchers in the game today, Joe Mauer had an off-year in 2011, and now would be a great time to check the market for memorabilia before it goes back up again.  In eight full seasons in the Major Leagues Mauer has an amazing .323 average, three Gold Gloves, four Silver Slugger awards, and an AL MVP award in 2009.

Justin Upton

Justin Upton is only 24 years of age and still has great upside even though he has been in the league for four full years now.  What makes him unique is that he has tremendous power to all areas of the field while also maintaining a good average to boot.  In 2011 Upton had an average of .277, with 31 homeruns, 171 hits, and 88 RBI’s.  He could certainly be at or near the 500 homerun club before all is said and done with his career, and as such it is a great time to think about collecting his memorabilia before he does so.

Ryan Zimmerman

Similar to Mauer, Ryan Zimmerman had an off-year in 2011 due to an injury, but he has certainly been one of the top third basemen in the league for a few years now.  Zimmerman currently has a 162 game average of 25 home runs, a .290 average, 41 doubles, and 95 RBI’s in six full seasons with the Washington Nationals.  As the Nationals continue to build their franchise with new ownership, his great numbers will only improve as better hitters are placed in the lineup to give him added protection.

Matt Kemp

2011 was a breakout season for Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he finished second in the MVP voting with a .324 average, 39 home runs, 126 RBI’s, and 195 hits.  At 27 years of age, can he keep up the consistency that is needed for him to be a hall of famer of the next decade?  What is great about Kemp’s future is that he prides himself on staying fit and has not had any serious injuries over his career to this point.  It may be best to get in now on his memorabilia while it continues to rise, as it is likely that he will continue to build upon his 2011 season into the future.

Current Pitchers Baseball Collectors Should Pay Attention To

Posted on February 9th, 2012 by admin | Posted in Baseball Cards, Baseball Hats and Caps, Bats

Current Pitchers Baseball Collectors Should Pay Attention To

Baseball is a great sport for collecting for many reasons, one of which is the history and tradition surrounding it.  Baseball collectibles have been around for well over a century, providing lasting memories and great amounts of money for them.  However, baseball collectors should also focus on the here and now, especially those who are serious about the sport and want to get a heads up on everyone else.  Here is a list of four current starting pitchers that baseball collectors should pay attention to, for the value of their collectibles should rise dramatically over the coming years.

Justin Verlander

When Randy Johnson won his 300th game, some baseball analysts have predicted that there may never be a starting pitcher who will achieve this milestone ever again.  One pitcher who may prove them wrong is Justin Verlander.  Verlander has been in the Major Leagues since 2005, and has continuously improved every year since.  After a low point in 2008 where he won 11 games and lost 17, Justin has had three consecutive years of win totals hovering around 20, with 2011 being the year where he finally broke the mark.  In fact, in 2011 Verlander won both the American League MVP and Cy Young awards, amassing a 24-5 record with a 2.40 ERA, 250 innings pitched, and 250 strikeouts to his credit.  Why should you pay attention to him at this time?  Verlander is a workhorse with a blazing fastball, and will certainly be around for quite a long time.  He has the best chance of any starting pitcher right now of reaching the 300 win mark, and it is for this reason that baseball collectors should start picking up his memorabilia.

Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw is only 23 years of age but has already had four full years of Major League Baseball under his belt.  Similar to Verlander, Kershaw has consistently improved over his four year career to this point, starting with a 5-5 record in 2008 and transforming it to a 21-5 record in 2011.  Kershaw won the National League Cy Young Award in 2011 with a 2.28 ERA and 248 strikeouts as well.  The fact that the team he played for in 2011 was mediocre should show collectors his future potential.  Not only does he have a great pitching delivery that should help him to have a long career in baseball, but he is still at a young age and could certainly be up there with Verlander in the race to 300 wins if he can maintain consistency over the next few years.

Tim Lincecum

Tim Lincecum doesn’t have the gaudy win totals that a Verlander or Kershaw has, and in fact he only compiled a 13-14 record in 2011.  However, when examining his other stats it becomes apparently quickly that Lincecum has a great deal of upside.  Since 2008 Tim has averaged at least 220 strikeouts, 210 innings pitched, and in three out of the four years an ERA below 2.75.  He has a great deal of consistency in only the handful of years he has pitched in the Major Leagues to this point, and these numbers are a good sign for baseball collectors to start paying attention to him before his prices really start to rise.

Mat Latos

You may not have heard much of Mat Latos, and for good reason.  He has not put up the numbers one would expect out of the previous two pitchers mentioned.  In fact, he has only pitched three years in the Major Leagues, and for a small market team in the San Diego Padres.  However, his recent trade to the Cincinnati Reds should give a good reason for baseball collectors to take an interest in him.  In his three years with the Padres Latos has a 27-29 record, but also an ERA of 3.37 and 413 strikeouts.  He pitched almost 200 innings in 2011, with 185 strikeouts and a 3.47 ERA alone.  He has tremendous upside now that he is on a better ball club and should continue to improve at only 23 years old.  Make sure to get in on his memorabilia before it is too late.